


Shortcuts

by pandasshi



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, VERY brief smut, soft boyfriends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-09
Updated: 2016-09-09
Packaged: 2018-08-14 02:06:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7994695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pandasshi/pseuds/pandasshi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on the prompt: "Person A knowing that Person B does cute things only when A is asleep (plays with their hair, gives forehead kisses, tracing their lips, gentle snuggling, draws them, etc). One day Person A pretends to be asleep, but ends up being unable to hold back a smile as Person B begins displaying their rare affection."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shortcuts

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sstilinskihale](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sstilinskihale/gifts).



 

It unsettled Adam how fast time passes, and, with it, change comes along.  It wasn’t just long ago when his heart was mired deep in insecurities; his eyes and hands tethered around a magical, sentient forest; his body drowned in fear, too used to playing the role of the prey of his father, always looking over his shoulders at every corner, and dreading the imminent danger of facing his Demon once again. Even if his detailed calculations of that encounter don’t make sense, it’d still shattered every progress he had made. Fear was his compass; it guided and coaxed him. But not anymore.

It’s not as if he’s cured, all his problems were not washed away by acknowledging his worth; by facing his Demon with head high, and by accepting and welcoming love not like it’s a mere visit, but a permanent fixture. But it’s progress all the same.

He now knows that love is Ronan Lynch, only in his boxers, cooking bacon and eggs for Adam every morning, and whose kisses always leave a trail of a promise of a tomorrow.  Simple but earth-shattering at the same time.

He still has some fractured lines, and, maybe, he’ll never be able to get rid of them all, and will have some dents to deal with for the rest of his life. However, Adam cannot help but think how he has something concrete on his hands, when before were just plans, ideas; now, it’s a certainty. Something he can truly get his hands on and shaping it into what he yearns, what he deserves. He’s making dreams becoming reality, in his own way.

He’s on his first year of college. It’s not as difficult as he thought it’d be, but studying in a prestigious school while simultaneously working three jobs to paid said school, and on top of all that still manage to juggle a wild search for a Welsh King will make everything else a piece of cake by comparison.

The challenge of it came in the form a person, not an obstacle: Ronan Lynch.

The transition from eight months filled to the brim with moments of discovering each other’s bodies; hungry touches, and this pit with no end desire of wanting more, more, and _more,_ to… being miles away, and writing essays instead wasn’t easy.    

Adam Parrish is not used to being an impractical man, and missing Ronan Lynch with every atom of his body, almost as if Ronan made a home out of Adam’s skin, definitely falls under the category of: impractical things. Not being capable of focusing on anything other than his body literally _aching_ for Ronan, in theory, shouldn’t happen, but it doesn’t come as a surprise to Adam that it did.

Adam has always known how touch-starve he’s; he used to yearn for anyone to just touch him in whichever way, so to at least satisfy this overwhelming need.  He has pondered over it and came up with the conclusion that his body got too used with bruises and pain, and now it’s trying to compensate, to balance the scale. The trick is, now that he has had a taste of what it feels like to have none other than Ronan Lynch to touch him, it’s all Adam wants now. His attention is honed in on Ronan. On Ronan’s body. And what kinds of sounds and pleasure he can elicit out of him.

The first weeks of being away from Ronan were not easy in the slightest, there’s a limit of what a skype conversation can accomplish, and that limit, sadly, is not being able to pull Ronan out of the computer to kiss him senseless. But they’ve almost found a rhythm, a way to work around their longing for each other. It doesn’t make saying goodbye to Ronan any less painful, but Adam feels more and more equipped to handle the Ronan shape hollowness inside him with each _I’m already missing you_ kiss. 

Somedays are better than others. And today is a good day. The fact that Adam found Ronan outside of his college building might have a _tiny_ bit to do with it. But just a tiny bit.

Sometimes, when Ronan can’t take being apart anymore, he shows up on Adam’s college unannounced. He tries not to do it very often though, so as not to “ _get in the way of my man’s education because he’d be too distracted with my ass_ ”. Ronan’s words. 

It’s funny how something can be dormant inside you, and it fools you into believing you’ve learnt how to tame it, how to handle it, but then something or someone comes along and shows how very wrong you are. This is how Adam feels when he looked at Ronan for a fraction of three seconds.

With Ronan around, all Adam’s mind is able to conjure is _Ronan, Ronan, and Ronan_. All there’s now is Adam’s love for Ronan; everything else is just tacky background music. Adam has never being so glad for being wrong in his life.

Adam catches Ronan’s eyes, and he can see mirrored on Ronan’s face the same grin that has bloomed on his own lips the moment his eyes laid on Ronan. He holds Ronan’s gaze as he walks slowly; yet, purposefully, towards Ronan.

“Hey, Lynch.”

“Hey, Parrish.”

They stand there, in the middle of Adam’s campus, just grinning at each other like two fucking idiots. But then, when Adam no longer can’t stand being even two centimeters apart from Ronan, he gently puts his hands on Ronan’s waist, and draws him closer, wrapping his hands around Ronan’s middle back. Automatically, as if it’s instinct by now, Ronan puts both of his hands around Adam’s neck, and sighs.

Adam buries his head on Ronan’s neck; gently nuzzling it and he revels on Ronan’s unique scent. It’s probably a bit crazy how much Adam loves Ronan’s smell; for anybody else, it’s just another person’s smell in the world, but it calms, and centers Adam to an extent not even science can explain. (Actually, I probably can but that’s not the point now.)

Adam feels at home, at last.

As if Ronan can hear Adam’s internal monologue, he says fondly in Adam hearing ear, “You’re such a fucking sap.”

Even though Ronan was the one, in the first place, who drove fuck-know-how-many miles to Adam’s university with the sole purpose of seeing him. But that’s Ronan Lynch for you. He imposes his nonchalance even in the most ridiculous moments. Adam bets Ronan knows by heart how many miles separate them both. 

Adam, reluctantly, disentangles himself from Ronan’s neck, so he can look at Ronan’s face, but keeps his hold on him, and asks, “Do you really think you’re in a good position to play the _I don’t care_ card right now, Lynch?”

Ronan hugs Adam tighter and says around a smirk, “Oh, I don’t know, Parrish, I think I’m in a great position.”

Adam narrows his eyes at Ronan, but can’t help the way his smile gets wider.

“Asshole,” is Adam’s only logical response to this.

Without preamble, Ronan continues, “Also, what makes you think I care, Parrish?”

“I’m sorry; please relay to me, play by play, your thought process of waking up in a completely different State that you’re current in, and deciding to drive all the way up to here. Where I am. Please, go on. Don’t leave any detail out.”

Ronan laughs softly, and kisses Adam’s cheek.

Adam scoffs, not unkindly and says, “You’re such a fucking sap, Lynch. Just admit you couldn’t handle being away from me one second more.”

“I missed you,” was Ronan honest answer.

The rawness of Ronan’s honesty shouldn’t surprise Adam, seeing as he’s the most sincere person he knows, but it still startles him. Ronan has this tendency of taking shortcuts when it comes to conveying his feelings through words; he either tells the truth in a mocking tone and lets you dissect its credibility or he says enough words to imply what he’s unable to be up front about.  Ronan’s confessions are a treasure map.

They are working on their communications skills.

Adam isn’t that much better in this department either. You can’t expect someone conditioned to not believe in love; to grow up on it being a fairytale, to when they finally accept they’re loved and more than capable to love back, for it to be a walk in the park.

They both have improved a lot during those months prior to Adam coming to college, but they still have a lot to learn where it comes to voicing their feelings with _words_. Touching seems to be their mutual agreement where words are not enough or too hard to utter. Their _I love you_ can get roughly translated into their passionate kisses, and the way they’re relentless while seeking methods to give pleasure to one another, and even in the most mundane daily things you can catch glimpses of their adoration for one another.

And when they kiss those kinds of kisses that are a mere brush of lips, and just breathe the same air while looking at each other’s eyes longingly; well, that often gets lost in translation.

Adam smiles fondly, and brings up his left hand to stroke Ronan’s cheek. They just gaze into each other’s eyes while Adam caresses Ronan’s face with his fingertips; the way Ronan looks at him will never cease to pull Adam out of his gravitational orbit.

It all becomes too much, so Adam molds his mouth against Ronan’s. And Adam’s melting already. They kiss like they have all the time in the world. And maybe they do. Ronan makes Adam feel like he’s powerful; invincible even. It doesn’t make any sense whatsoever, but Adam has gotten used to Ronan making him throw every logical explanation out the window.

His kisses and touches make Adam feel like a God.

It’s a long time when they stop kissing and just lean their foreheads on one another, and, as if it’s a midnight confession, Adam whispers, “I missed you, too.”

Ronan smiles, pecks Adam’s lips one last time and says, “Okay, that’s enough of cheesy shit for me for today; let’s grab something to eat, Parrish.”

Adam rolls his eyes at Ronan antics, grabs his hand, and they go in search to find some place to eat.

 

 ************************************

It’s late at night when they finally get to Adam’s dorm. They spent the entire day catching up. Even though they do keep each other updated on their lives, there’s something to marvel on sharing your daily life the one you love in person whilst holding their hands, and being able to feel their laughter reverberates through your body.

Ronan told Adam all about what Opal has been up to lately. How she helps him around the barns with only mild complaining. Ronan shares the fact he believes she complains just for the sake of complaining; just to annoy Ronan, as if it’s a conspiracy theory. With each passing second, Adam is flooded more and more with love for both of them.

In return, Adam lapsed on a debate of the pros and cons of the majors he’s thinking of electing. Adam tendencies to plan ahead and analyse everything to prevent the maximum levels of efficiency made him almost 100% positively sure he was going to major in mechanical engineering. But now, after the whole tying-himself-to-a-sentient-forest, he surely can see clear as day the value of environmental engineering. Ronan just kept on looking fondly and saying how much of a fucking nerd his boyfriend is.

In the solitude and darkness of Adam’s dorm, however, they’re suddenly reminded of how much hungry they’re for each other, and of how much of their feelings they’ve been bottling up the whole day.  The casual touches, lingering gazes and quick kisses were nothing but a free sample of the how much their love has overtaken everything inside them.

Adam doesn’t know who made the first move; all he knows is that he’s in the middle of the most heated kiss he has ever been in his life. And he’s been in the middle of plenty of heated kisses ever since he and Ronan started dating.

It’s as if no touch is enough to quell their lust.

Adam presses Ronan back at the door, pinning him firmly against it. Their kisses grow more and more sloppy and needy by the second. And, with Ronan pliable against his chest – not even bothering of having any finesse – Adam starts to grind himself into Ronan. They both moan loudly.

Ronan wastes no time and buries one of his hands in Adam’s hair and pulls lightly, coaxing a groan out of Adam. He takes advantage of the moment and pulls his hair again so as to pry Adam away from the kiss, so he can mouths at Adam’s jaw and neck.

Adam is sure Ronan can feel the vibrations of his moans on his lips.

“Bed. Now,” Adam pants; pushes Ronan lightly, and then pulls him back just so he can bite Ronan’s bottom lip.

“Eager, eager, aren’t you?” Ronan says back, smirking.

Adam raises his eyebrows, and palms Ronan’s bulge through his jeans. “You’re one to talk,” Adam points out, huffing.

After it, they reach a mutual agreement: there’re no more talks between the two of them, their attention utterly hone in getting off to form any kind of verbal communication – the room is just filled with the sounds of their whimpers and hungry kisses instead.

They stumble their way to Adam’s bed, yanking their clothes off desperately along the way.

Adam wishes he had the strength of taking his time with Ronan; to pour in all his love for him, but since Ronan has this ability of making Adam lose every last shred of logicality he has by one mere touch, it’ll have to be for later, because Adam’s minds is overflowing with the need of having Ronan right _now_ in whichever way it may be.

Ronan lies down on the bed, pulling Adam along by the waist, and Adam straddles Ronan’s thighs firmly. Adam bents down; gives Ronan a long and deep kiss, and presses his forehead to Ronan’s, breathing heavily. He marvels on how close they’re now; on how he didn’t go insane without having this every day, and on how Ronan’s hands on his body feels like reverence.

 

                                                                                           ************************************

It was later that night that Adam found himself awaking slowly; he was in that limbo like sleep state where you can’t really differentiate dream from reality all that well – everything is painted in dream colours, time doesn’t seem to have any foot here either, and Adam can’t help but wonder if that’s the way Ronan see things. The room feels full with possibility.

Ronan is pressed against Adam’s back, their feet tangled up, and Ronan’s arm is over Adam.

In Ronan’s embrace, and with them both bare chested, Adam’s soaking up in all of Ronan’s warmth he can get. There’s no other place more comfortable than in Ronan’s arms. Adam is willing to fight for this, he’s _that_ sure.

While drowning in on Ronan’s warmth, and getting comfortable enough to start to fall asleep again, Adam begins to feel a feather like touch on the tip of his ear. It surprises Adam a little, but he stays utterly still. He’s not sure what’s happening; to be fair, he’s not sure he’s not actually dreaming affection.

Ever since his relationship with Ronan has begun, he has learnt many things about himself, for instance: he’s not a broken thing incapable of feeling love and, most importantly, showing love. Quite the contrary, actually. It’s often at the tip of his tongue lately. His body knows exactly what to do with Ronan’s body instinctively.

For a mouth that used to believe _love_ was a phenomenon; something for his tongue to dismantle as to find out its workings, it sure does know its meaning now.

Perhaps, it’s just something that sprouted out of his mind.

But the fingers that were at the tip of his ear start to slowly trace its outline, and, after a while, Adam figures that the person is trying to memorize the shape of it. Someone found within themselves the need of knowing the shape of Adam’s ear.

Ronan is that _someone_.

It shouldn’t surprise Adam that Ronan is capable of turning tenderness into reality; he can pull the most beautiful creatures out of his dreams after all, but it still startles Adam a little. It’s not that Ronan doesn’t show affection. However, usually, he scatters it between calling him an asshole, banter, and heated moments; it’s not often Adam experiences _this_ undiluted. 

The gentleness in the way Ronan grips at his earlobe and the caress that follows it makes Adam feel like he’s getting filled with sunshine at the pit of his stomach. Ronan releases Adam’s earlobe and replace his fingertips with his lips by pressing a gentle kiss – a blink and you miss it moment. Adam is melting, once again, at Ronan’s touch.

Ronan’s hold on Adam gets tighter as he maneuvers him, so he can place another light kiss on Adam’s cheek. Adam, afraid of Ronan stopping his ministrations out of embarrassment if he were to find out Adam is awake, he keeps his eyes close, and pretends to be asleep. But he’s wide awake now.

Adam’s lips are the next target. Ronan begins to trace Adam’s cupid bow lightly. He always tends to mention how pouty Adam’s mouth it’s, usually before he kisses Adam for a very long time. With his finger, Ronan very slowly draws around Adam lips for a while.

But, then, Ronan kisses Adam’s cheek again, his lips travels from it to Adam’s temple, trailing soft kisses along the way.  He presses a longer kiss on Adam’s forehead, and nudges Adam’s hair with his nose. Ronan breathes in deeply, taking Adam’s scent, and sighs. It seems as if Ronan doesn’t want to be anywhere else.

The feeling is mutual.

 

                                                                             **********************************************

Ronan can’t stay long; he has to go back the next day. Opal needs someone to look after her (as much as she says she doesn’t), and the 300 fox ladies have enough on their plate already. And as Ronan said, Adam _does_ get distracted by Ronan’s ass.

Adam can’t help by replay the night before in his head. He’s not sure he should mention it to Ronan, he’s also not sure if that was the first time Ronan did it or the first time Adam caught him. If Ronan does this in the middle of the night, maybe he’s not ready to be that upfront with his feelings. Adam can respect that. And, perhaps, sleep a little bit late, as well. Adam might feel a bit ashamed by this last thought.

They reach the BMW, and Adam already is dreading this moment.

Ronan is the first one to move this time, he wraps his arm around Adam, hugging him tight.

“My break is coming up,” Adam says, but from the timbre of his voice is not clear who he is trying to comfort.

“I know, Parrish. Believe me, I know,” Ronan says into Adam’s hair like it’s a secret between them.

“Look at you. Saving the date at your calendar, Lynch?” Adam aims at teasing but he misses by two whole continents.   

“Asshole,” Ronan says softly before kissing Adam. Last night, their kisses were full of passion. It punched the air out Adam by how demanding Ronan’s mouth was. This one also sucks the air out of Adam, but this time it’s because of the way Ronan’s lips treats Adam’s like it’s something of worship.

He reluctantly disentangles himself from Adam’s embrace, pecks Adam one last time, and says, “I have to go now, though.”

“I know.”

“Bye, bye,” Ronan says in a sing-song voice as he gets into the BMW, and blows a kiss at Adam jokingly. Adam stares at Ronan witheringly.

But then Ronan’s off.

And maybe Adam hasn’t gotten as good with goodbyes as he once thought.

 

                                                                                            ************************************

It’s true what they say that times flies when you have fun. Adam got so involved with his college that it seems like it was in a blink of an eye that the day of his break arrived. 

The aforementioned fun was not only limited to things related to his college, though, for instance, lately, Opal acquired an interest in anything regarding space and Adam has spent an immense amount of times relating to her everything he knows about it, and he even found himself researching for more information just to have more stuff to tell her. The smile on her face when she learns new things makes his day.

Also, in odd times, probably due to the time zone, he has gotten more and more text messages from Blue, Gansey, and even Henry. Blue showing him pictures of the amazing flora in whatever is the new country she’s in. Gansey telling him the new weird thing he’s got an obsession for. And Henry, sending him pictures of their travels, most of them being very unflattering pictures of Gansey. It’s good that they’re all coming back to Henrietta now, because he misses seeing his friends in person.

There’s, also, The Ronan Situation. After that first night, Ronan has gone up to Adam’s college a few other times. And every time they fell into bed together, Adam would pretend to be asleep while Ronan touched him with an admiration he has never shown while Adam was awake. It has become a bit of a routine, actually. And it’s happened enough times to be weird, but Adam is addicted to it now and he doesn’t know how to stop, how to tell Ronan.

And the truth is, sometimes Adam said to Ronan he was tired just so they could go back to his dorm, and, hopefully, Ronan will touch him in his sleep. It always worked. But Adam constantly felt guilty after, still not enough for him to stop it seems.

It’s a long travel from his college to Henrietta, but Adam can’t wait to see them all again. Especially Ronan.

 

                                                                                     **************************************

They all end up in Blue’s house. They need a place to regroup, and since Blue is the one who bought a small gift for everyone, it was more convenient to meet up first at Blue’s and then decide what to do next. After all the welcoming hugs and kisses, they part their ways with promises of meeting up tomorrow.

Now, Blue’s in her room where she’s giving the gifts she bought for the ladies of the house while explaining where she got the present and the meaning behind it. And Gansey and Henry went back to Monmouth to drop their stuff.

Opal is on Blue’s backyard playing some intricate game she created with Chainsaw and Tangerine, Ronan’s and Adam’s cat. And Ronan and Adam don’t have the heart to put a stop into it. Well, actually, Opal told them not to bother her until she finishes the game or they’ll face the consequences.

Adam and Ronan are on Blue’s living room, seated beside each other, waiting on Opal to finish her game.

This gives Adam an idea.

It’s been a while since the last time Ronan went to visit him at college, and if he’s completely honest with himself, he has thought about The Ronan Situation more often than he lets himself believe. And he’s kind of tired. Maybe he should take a nap. It won’t hurt anyone.

Adam fakes a yawn, putting his fists in front of mouth, and looks sideways to Ronan.

“Jesus, Parrish. This fucking college is drying you out, man. You’ve been sleeping a lot lately. Are you ok?” Adam feels ashamed from the worry he hears hidden in Ronan’s tone.

“Yeah…it’s just…hm…it’s just a lot of things to do, you know?”

Ronan smirks wickedly, and says, “You can sleep here,” enunciating it by patting his palms on his own lap.

He says it as a joke but they both know it’s not supposed to be taken as one.

Adam makes a show of turning to Ronan so he can see clear as day he rolling his eyes. But, still, he lies down on Blue’s sofa, and put his head on Ronan’s lap.

“Comfortable there, Princess?”

“Oh, very,” Adam answers around a smile, Ronan shakes his head, and Adam hears him whispering dumbass.

Adam closes his eyes, and tries to fall asleep. He’s lucky enough that when Opal puts her body and soul into something, she’s seeing it through the end.

He’s not sure how long it takes exactly, and truth be told he was kind tired due to the long trip, so Adam did fall sleep, but he’s become such a light sleeper because of the whole Ronan Situation that the slightest sound (and touch) wake him up nowadays. It’s not very convenient in everyday life, but it’s useful where Ronan’s concerned. But what really matters is that Adam feels one of his favourite things that Ronan does: touch his hair.

It starts very gentle. He lightly presses his fingertips to Adam’s scalp, probably trying to identify if Adam is truly asleep. When he seems more assured of himself, Ronan starts to run his hands through Adam’s hair, and it doesn’t escape Adam’s notice how Ronan is humming, probably unaware of it. He puts more pressure into his touch, and Adam has to suppress a very embarrassing _not_ sleeping sound.

Ronan stops all of a sudden, before Adam can miss his hands; they’re back on him again. He begins to feel Adam’s eyebrows. His nose. His mouth. The shape of his face. Even his eyelids. It makes Adam feel like Ronan is admiring art, and that Adam is a masterpiece.

It’s already night when Opal burst into the living room, announcing the game is over, which makes Adam jumps in surprise and _wake up_. Ronan’s hands stills close of Adam’s face as he notices Adam looking at him, his ears turns slightly pink.

He coughs, and says, “Well, let’s go home then. We don’t want to tire out Sleepy Beauty here.”

 

                                                                                                   ************************************

On the drive back, they don’t talk, but the silence that fills the car isn’t awkward. Still, Adam worries that Ronan found out his little transgression. It doesn’t really make sense that he’d, but he’s definitely growing a bit paranoid with this whole thing.

Opal is quiet in the backseat of the car, probably tired from her game. She starts to wans, and Adam is reminded once again of what he’s been doing. 

Adam pets behind Tangerine’s ear as a way to try to get his head out of the Ronan Situation, but it gets harder and harder to do so when Adam notices Ronan stealing worried glances at Adam.

They get to the Barns, and Opal drags her feet to her room. Adam puts the cat down. Ronan takes that as an invitation to look him up and down, but instead of it being Ronan checking Adam out, it seems to be more like Ronan is looking for something to be out of place.

Adam nervously scratches the back of his head, and says, “Well, I’m going to our room.”

That seems to be the wrong thing to say as Ronan’s eyebrows furrows, but he reluctantly says, “Ok. I need to feed the cat, and check on some shit around the Barns so…yeah.”

Adam gives Ronan a chaste kiss, and retreats to their room.

Getting there, he strips all of his clothes, and puts on a pair of sweatpants. He lies on their bed, and really thinks of what he’s doing. As he lets his tiredness overtake him, Adam’s last thought is of telling Ronan the truth.

 

                                                                                       ************************************

The bed sank next to Adam, signaling someone is lying down, but he feels too comfortable by being in their room once again, surrounded with Ronan's scent, to really overthink what's happening. Unknowingly, he moves so as to get closer from the person who's next to him.

The person grants Adam’s wishes and snuggles closer to him, kisses his neck, and sighs dreamily. Automatically, Adam feels protected, calm...so at home with the warmth that surrounds him. The person kisses his neck again, draws Adam even closer, and then kisses his cheek. He feels the person stilling against him.

"Adam..." Ronan says, and that takes Adam's mind out of the stupor it was on. But he's so used to with pretend to be asleep that he just...continues doing so.

"Adam, you're smiling, man." Ronan says again, and Adam can't see Ronan's smile but he can hear it. He opens his eyes, turns to Ronan, and says, "Hey."

"Hey there yourself."

"Were you awake..." Ronan says and his ears turn pink automatically, and he seems so embarrassed he doesn't even turn it as a question in the end.

"Yeah, I was. Actually…I have something to come clean with you. You know when you visit me at college and I was sleeping a lot?"

Ronan nods his head, his eyebrows furrowing instantly.

"I kind of.......wasn't. Sleeping. That is. Most the time. I noticed you do this thing when I fall asleep, you know, touch me...and I thought it was really nice, and I didn't know how to tell you that I wanted you to do that when we're both awake."

"Or aware that the other person is awake." Ronan interjects.

"I know. I'm sorry. I was planning on telling you because it felt kind of wrong, I'm sorry." Adam groans, and hides behind his hands.

"Fucking hell, man." Ronan says, and start laughing almost immediately.

"I fucking thought college was draining the life out of you. So, honestly, I'm kind of glad you were just being a dumbass."

Adam swats Ronan's arm, and Ronan laughs even louder. It doesn't take long for Adam to join him.

"Also, I thought I was dating the most heavy sleeper person on earth. But I’m just dating a dumbass. Lucky me."  Ronan looks at Adam fondly, mirth sparkling in his eyes.

Adam puts his hand on the nape of Ronan’s neck, caressing it, and says, “You know you can do that when we’re awake….I like it, so….yeah.”

Ronan smiles shyly, scratches his face, and says, looking everywhere but at Adam, “I just didn’t want to overwhelm you, you know? It felt like something stupid to do, I don’t know.”

“I get it. But...I always want to do everything with you. Even the stupid things as you call them. Especially the stupid things. Because…I love you.”

This is not the first time they’ve exchange I love you, but it’s still a novelty enough to make Adam’s heart beat like crazy every time those words blooms from his lips.

Ronan’s eyes search Adam’s face, looking for something, and when he seems to find it, he smiles and says, “I love you, too.”

Adam is warm all over.

Adam uses his hand on Ronan’s neck to pull him for a kiss, but before Ronan’s lips can reach Adam’s, he whispers _dumbass_ , and his laughter dies on Ronan’s mouth as they melt against each other.

 

 

Fin. :D


End file.
